Steam purifier



Oct. 20, 1953 REHM 2,655,905

STEAM PURIFIER Filed Aug. 26, 1950 v s sheets-snt 1 a. "II/III, i

iffy? eyd Oct. 20, 1953 REHM 4 2,655,905

STEAM PURIFIER Filed Aug. 26, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7&2 l1

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flffarrzeys G. A. REHM STEAM PURIFIER Oct. 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Aug. 26, 1950 Patented Oct. 20, 1953 UNITED STATE STEAM PURIFIER'Gustav A. Rehm, Springfield, 111., assignor to Springfield BoilerCompany, Springfield, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August26, 1950, Serial No. 181,644

My invention relates to an improvement in steam purifiers, and has forone purpose to provide means for purifying the steam as it flows throughthe steam drum of a boiler.

Another purpose is to provide improved means for collecting impuritiesand condensed moisture from steam.

Another purpose is to provide an improved assembly in which such apurifier is used.

Another purpose is to provide an improved unitary structure which mayreadily be applied to and removed from a boiler.

Another purpose is to provide a multi-unit steam dryer, including anupper unit or group of units and a lower unit or group of units, throughwhich the steam progressively passes.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of thespecification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical transversesection through a steam drum to whichmy invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a section along ure 1, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 2, on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4: of Figure 2, on an enlargedscale.

Referring to the drawings, I generally indicates the wall of a steamdrum partially filled with a bodyof water 2. Steam delivery tubes orducts 3 extend to the drum 1 and deliver steam to its interior, aboveand below the water level. If desired, a bafile 4 may be employed todivert the steam downwardly toward the surface of the water. 5illustrates any suitable water tubes or ducts. 6 illustrates a duct orducts extending from the drum I., It may, extend, for example, toasuper-heater. I2 is a bottom structural ele- 4 the line 2-2 of Fig- 3-3of Figure 7 Claims. (01. 122-459) walls 200, separated by a substantialspace.v It will be understood, however, that the form of the troughs maybe widely varied, and they do not,

of themselves, form part of the present invention. Various types oftroughs which I may employ are illustrated, for example, in my copendingapplication Serial No. 30,371, filed in the United States Patent Officeon June 1, 1948, now U. S. Patent No.

' downwardly flowing water in the troughs.

ment to which'verticalframe elements 12a may 7 be connected. formed ofsheet metal side, bottom and top walls.

Frame supporting members 13 project downwardly, as at l3a, and are shownas notched at l3?) torest upon and be positioned by an angle member l5mounted on any suitable. support IS. The support It is also shown ascarrying a duct or pipel'l suitably connected to supply water by theupwardly extending pipe l8 to the interior of the water supply tank I4.The angle member is notched. 7 Y

Extending downwardly from thetank 14 to the transverse member or membersl2 are a plurality of troughs 20. Each such trough 20 may have,for'example, a rear'wall 20a, forwardly'projecting side walls 201), andinwardly extending front it is a top tank or duct shown as 2,527,450,issued October 24, 1950..

It will be understood that water in the tank, [4, supplied, for example,through the pipe 18, is effective to flow downwardly through the troughs20. The troughs 20 have their open faces op;- posed to the inflow ofsteam from the pipes or tubes 3. The baffle structure 4 may have asupplemental baffie 4a. The inflowing steam is thereby directeddownwardly toward or against the upper surface of the body of water 2.An intermediate bafile 40 may also be employed, as shown in Figure 1.The result is that after the steam has impinged upon the surface of thewater 2 it then flows against and between the troughs 20 whichconstitute a washer assembly.

It will be noted, as'shown, for example, in Figure 3, that a pluralityof troughs are arranged in staggered relation. As the steam passesagainst and between the troughs it impinges against the The troughs areso inclined that water gravitally flows down the rear surface 20a. Theside walls 201) and the front walls 200 are effective to prevent thewater from being blown away or dispersed by the impingement of thesteam. Impurities in the steam are collectedand removed by thedownwardly flowing water, and carried downwardly into the main-mass ofthe body of water 2.

The initially washed steam, after it has flowed through the abovedescribed washer assembly, indicated generally at A in Figure 3, entersthe first or lower dryer assembly, generally indicated at B in Figure 3.As will-be clear from a comengaged for removal; For example, the sideframe members [3 of the adjacent units inthe assembly A may be bolted tocorrespondingside frame members 24 of the dryer assembly B. The

dryerunits have bottom structural members'lii and top tanks 21.

front wall 210, and a rear wall 21d. .The front I 1 wall 2'lc may besecured, for example, to the top; guiding baffle or partition28,;one-endor edge of which connects with-thehand-hole plate 29Connecting the bottom plate 21a of each such. tank il and extendingdownwardly .to'i'and, through the'bottomstructural members 26,"ar" a" Itwill be'understood that the. tanks 21 have bottom walls 21a, top 'walls211), a'

plurality of troughs 30 which may be generally similar in shape to thetroughs 20 of the washer unit, but which may be advantageously somewhatnarrower. They are preferably in the staggered relation in which theyare shown in Figure 3. It will be understood that the impingement ofsteam against the troughs 30 results in a gathering of moisture whichflows gravitally down the rear faces or walls 30a of the troughs 30, andis thereby delivered to the water 2.

As will be clear from Figure 1, -I provide an upper or second dryer,having a top structural member or members 3| from which extenddownwardly a second group or tier of troughs 3 2. The lower ends ofthese troughs extend downwardly through the wall 27b and deliver theirgathered moisture to the interior of the tank or receiver 27. Thismoisture is carried downwardly to the liquid 2 and through drain pipes33. The dried steam then flows upwardly across the plate 28 for escapethrough the pipes or ducts 8. It will be understood that the troughs inthe upper dryer unit face toward the flowing steam, the direction ofilowof the steam being indicated, for example, by arrows. in Figure 1.

It will be realized that, whereas, I have described and illustrated apractical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made inthe size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing fromthe spirit of my invention. I thereforewish my description and drawingsto be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, ratherthan as limiting me to my precise showing. It will be, understood,for'example, that, if desired, some of the delivery tubes 3 may reachthe drum I at below the level of the water 2.

I claim:

1. A steam purifying assembly for boilers, including ahousing forming apurifying chamber and having a body of water disposed in the lowerportion thereof, duct means for admitting steam to and for dischargingsteam from said housing, and a purifying unit disposed within saidhousing and in the line of flow of steam betweensaid respective ductmeans, said purifying unit including a steam washer having a pair ofspaced, par e standin s p o t. plates hav g. low r ends positioned insaid body of water and upper ends disposed adjacent the upper portion ofsaid housing'and connected-to a relatively fixed por-,

tion of said, housing, a feedwater supply member betw nand c nn cte o hepp r por i o said plates, a supporting member extending between andconnected to, the lower portions of said plates, arplurality of spacedparallel feedwater uide. m mbers. onne t d b tw en sa d. supply saidsections including a plurality of feedwater uide members.

3. A steam purifying assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said washeris formed with a plurality of vertically aligned sections, and saiddrier is formed with a plurality of vertically aligned sectionscorresponding to said washer sections and each washer section hassupporting plates connected to corresponding supporting plates for adrier unit section.

4. A steam purifying assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said washerstructure and said drier structure, each include a plurality of rows ofchannel-shaped guide members, the individual channel-shaped members ofeach row being staggered with relation to one another.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein an upper drier portion is locatedabove the drier positioned adjacent the. Washer,..separating meansbetween the two drier portions formed and adapted to constrain the steamfrom the washer to flow through the lower drier portion, said separatingmeans including a tank adapted to receive liquid separated in the upperdrier portion, and a drain pipe therefor extending downwardly throughthe lower 'drier portion.

6. Asteazn purifying attachment for a steam purifying housing having apurifying chamber and a body of water in the lower portion thereof andprovided with steam inlets and steam exit ducts for permitting the flowof steam through said q chamber, including a steam washer unit having apair of spacedsparallel generally elonmember andsupport member to. formwith said,

suppor plates, support member and supply menfiher; a substantiallyrigid. structure, each guide member beingformed to convey feedwater fromsaid member to said body or water, and a steam drier unit positionedclosely. adjacent, to said fe'edwater guide members, said drierincluding a plurality of upstanding drying membersydisposed in said lineofflow of steam downstream of the feedwater guide members, means forsupporting said drier including upstanding end members connected to saidupstanding supporting plates,

plurality of verticallyaligned sections, each of the;

gated supporting plates having lower portions thereof adapted to bedisposed in said body of water and upper portions adapted to bepositioned adjacent. and connected to an upper portion of said housin aplurality of steam washing members adapted to convey feedwater to saidbody of water,.said members being supported by generally horizontallyextending members connected to the upper ends and to the lower ends ofsaid plates, respectively, the member connected to.

the upper ends of said plates being formed and adapted to deliverfeedwaterto said steam wash: ing members, a drier unit positionedadjacent to said washer unit and disposed rearwardly of said washer unitwith respect to the flow of steam w'ithin said housing, said drier unitincluding a pair of spaced, parallel supporting plates havingconnections with the first-mentioned supporting plates, to form asubstantially rigid structure therewith, whereby said attachment may beunitarily. removed from anclinserted in said housing.

7-. An attachment as recited in claim 6 where-.

in said washer is formed. with a plurality of vertically'alignedsections, and said drier is formed with ,a plurality ofvertically aligned sections corresponding tofsaid washer sections andeach washer section has supporting platesconnected to correspondingsupporting plates for a drier unit section.

whereby saidlpurifying unit=may be unitarily' Number GUSTAV A. RE-HM.

Name Date 1,744,314 I Kirkpatrick Jan. 21, 1930 2,055,731' Angermuel1erSept. 29, 1936 2,058,239 Kerr Oct. 20, 1936 "2,075,059 Rosencrants etal. Mar. 30, 1937 2,256.115- ;;H b b Sept. 16, 941," 12,424,212Andrews'et, a1 1 July"22, 1947 33 7 24 9 ifi Chl. :1

